Colombia Support Network

 
 
THREE DIRECTORS OF THE ACVC (CIMITARRA RIVER VALLEY FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION) HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE BROKEN INTO AND SEARCHED
Government Offensive Against the ACVC
 

            Andres Gil, Evaristo Mena and Oscar Duque, members of the Cimitarra River Valley Farmers’ Association (Spanish acronym is ACVC) were in a community meeting when they were arrested by agents of the Administrative Department of Security (DAS).  This took place in the town of El Cagui, in the San Lorenzo marsh in the rural area of the municipality of Cantagallo (southern part of Bolivar province).  When the farmers at the meeting voiced opposition to the arrests, the DAS agents fired shots into the air.
 
            Andres and Oscar are founders of ACVC and at present they are members of the Association’s Board of Directors. Already on October 5 of 2006, Oscar had been arrested arbitrarily by the Army and then set free a few days later.
 
            The authorities also broke into the regional office of ACVC.  The office is located in the La Tora building in the city of Barrancabermeja. Nearly fifty soldiers, along with DAS agents, arrived at 4 pm and arbitrarily arrested five people who were in the apartment that serves as a residence for ACVC members and for farmers from the Cimitarra River valley.  Also, Mario Martinez, another member of the ACVC board, was arrested at his home in Barrancabermeja.
 
            Andres Gil, Evaristo Mena and Oscar Duque are incarcerated at the New Granada Battalion post in Barrancabermeja, while Mario Martinez was taken to DAS headquarters.  We demand that the integrity and due process rights of ADVC members be respected.  The four ought to be transferred from military facilities and taken before competent civilian authorities.
 
    CSN finds inappropriate this action by government authorities against the ACVC. The ACVC is a legitimate and legally constituted organization. The ACVC served as an intermediary between the Colombian government  and community organizations in the region of the Middle Magdalena, when agreements were signed to overcome the regional humanitarian crisis last July

 ACTION : PLEASE WRITE
          
 To your members of Congress to  inform them of the unjust treatment of members of an organization which has promoted  peaceful relations between the Colombian Government and community organizations in its region.
Click on the CSN’s Action Center in our web site www.colombiasupport.net

Please write to the Colombian government, demanding it to respect the social and community organization of the farmers of the Magdalena Medio and to respects the lives and integrity of ACVC members.
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